07/31/2014. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "Under the BuNo. 53787 this aircraft was built by Eastern and delivered to the USN on June 21, 1945, and struck off charge in August 1956, subsequently it was stored till 1963. In that year it was bought by Edgar L. Thorsrud of Missoula, Montana, who had it registered N3969A. In 1972 it was reregistered to Johnson Flying Service, also at Missoula, and the aircraft received the number A21 on the nose and the digit '1' on the fin. In 1975 it was sold to Hillcrest Aircraft of Lewiston, Idaho.

On March 1, 1976 the aircraft was sold to Forest Protection Limited (FPL) of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, where it was registered C-GFPT and given the fleet number E30. (FPL once owned the largest civilian fleet of Avengers, 85 aircraft, during over five decades of operating the type, 1958-2012.) Being renumbered E10 in 1978, the aircraft was used for spraying till 1994, when it was put in storage. From 2000 to 2008 it was used as a water bomber.

The aircraft returned to the USA when it was sold to Environmental Aviation Services Inc. of Fernandina Beach, Florida, on November 12, 2008, being registered N3696A again. Finally, on April 28, 2014, the aircraft was registered to Rick Clemens of Carson City, Nevada."

Read the type remarks on page 12451.